16 People Displaced Following Fire At Society Hill Towers

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A fire at the Society Hill Towers was quickly placed under control after smoke was reported.

Crews responded to the 8th floor of the West building just before 2:40 p.m. Monday.

Frank Dunn, who lives on the 11th floor, describes what he saw: “The stairwell really smoky. Some firemen were carrying senior citizens out on their backs.”

Although several senior citizens needed help getting out, no one was injured in the fire.

Since the flames were contained to just one apartment on the 8th floor, not everyone in the building was forced to evacuate.

Battalion Chief Mike Richie says,“The whole building was not evacuated. People in the floors above were told to shelter-in-place and stay in their units. There were no smoke conditions or danger to their lives.”

The blaze was brought under control by 3 p.m., but only after causing extensive damage in the apartment where it began.